Public-sector unions on Friday warned the government of ”indefinite labour action” if their demands for better pay and working conditions were not met.
The unions outlined six demands in a two-page memorandum submitted to the government in mass marches across the country.
These included a 12% salary increase, the filling of vacant posts and a housing allowance in line with housing costs and salaries.
”Failure to meet these demands by May 31 2007 will result in indefinite labour action by all unions until the demands are met.”
The unions indicated they were willing to return to negotiations if the state ”drastically” improved its 6% wage-increase offer.
The memorandum condemns the state’s ”refusal” over a number of years to conclude minimum service-level agreements for workers deemed as essential-services workers.
This was tantamount to denying workers their constitutional right to strike and ”the right to fight for general improvement in conditions of service”.
The unions unanimously rejected Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi’s assertion that the state was committed to negotiations and improving overall conditions of service.
They described the remarks as ”ill-informed”, claiming the state had never put a comprehensive offer, inclusive of all details, on the table.
The unions, representing more than a million workers, collectively tabled their demands in October 2006.
They have refused to accept wage increases linked to inflation, which they argue has led to no real wage increase in 10 years.
Negotiations deadlocked earlier this month, leading all public-sector unions to announce joint industrial action next Friday.
A last ditch attempt to resolve the matter will take place in a special meeting of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council on Monday and Tuesday, as requested by the state.
Vice-chairperson of labour on the bargaining council, Shireen Pardesi said the demands outlined in the memorandum would be brought to the meeting.
The union demands are for a 12% salary increase over a single term starting on April 1 of each year.
Secondly, the number of ”notches” in the pay progression system should be reduced and not be linked to performance.
Fewer notches would allow workers to achieve their maximum salary level at a quicker pace.
The unions also argue that the state lacks the capacity to implement any performance-management system.
Thirdly, the employer contribution to medical aid should be increased in line with the medical price consumer index and employers should not be forced on to the government service medical-aid scheme.
Fourth, the homeowner allowance should be brought into line with a home value of R300 000.
A widening gap between ”poor salaries and the high cost of housing” had denied access to home ownership, the unions said.
Fifth, vacant substantive posts should be immediately filled, and vacancies created to meet the demand of the public service.
Lastly, the wage gap should be closed by increasing the minimum wage for the lowest paid workers.
‘An insult’
Meanwhile, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Friday that President Thabo Mbeki should turn down the recommended 57% wage increase in his salary if he wanted to avert the planned public-service workers strike.
Taking aim at Mbeki for a large part of his address to tens of thousand of public-sector union workers who had marched in Pretoria, Vavi said the 6% wage increase offer by government was an insult.
”If 57% is good for the president, if 50% is good for the ministers, if 20% is good for the judges, then 6% is an insult to all of us,” Vavi said.
”The ball is in the court of the president and the minister and the entire Cabinet — make a pronouncement on this matter of 57% before the June 1; if you don’t do that you must take the entire blame for the strike,” Vavi said to loud approval by the protesters.
He was speaking while Fraser-Moleketi was standing beside him at the Union Buildings waiting to receive the memorandum on behalf of government.
Vavi at one stage asked the people to ”please not raise the insulting” posters with harsh messages for Fraser-Moleketi.
Other union leaders were less sympathetic to Fraser-Moleketi.
”Fraser-Moleketi has since 1999 been taking away all our gains. We are warning [her] not to lead the government into this. You don’t test the public servants when there is so much instability in the country,” said Success Mataitsane, the General Secretary of the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers.
Vavi said the marches across the country were a sign to government that public service unions were not going to ”hurry to sign” any agreement that they would later regret.
‘Very happy’
About 15 000 public servants took part in a march through Cape Town on Friday calling for wage increases, police said.
Police spokesperson Randall Stoffels said the march went off peacefully and no incidents of violence or disruption were reported.
Stoffels said the exact number of police deployed and further details of their operation during the march would not be disclosed.
”Very, very happy” is how march convenor Mike Louw, also Cosatu’s Western Cape organiser, said he felt about the turnout, which he estimated to be between 15 000 and 18 000 people.
Louw said he was also very happy that the marchers ”displayed the utmost discipline despite the number of people [attending]”.
Meanwhile, Friday’s marches did not significantly disrupt service delivery Fraser-Moleketi said.
”The marches had no significant impact on service delivery throughout the public service,” said Fraser-Moleketi in a statement.
”Government departments and institutions, with the exception of some education facilities, continued to deliver uninterrupted services to the public.” — Sapa